Persona 4: SI Darkness & Denial
by sgtSkirata
Summary: Taking place before and during Persona 4 Shadow Incident, The Shadow Ops are desperate for new members in a world with growing dangers. With no easy way of rooting out new persona users, they turn to an unlikely new ally. This fic is meant to flesh out the popular Adachi arc of my previous Fanfic while giving plenty of screen time to the SEES Gang. ( No promised relationships.)


**_Persona 4: SI Darkness & Denial_**

**Chapter 1: Recruitment**

**May 7****th**** 2012 (Monday morning 10:00)- Tokyo City Prison**

"You sure this is a good Idea Senpai?" Yukari asked as she and her high school friend exited their vehicle and began to walk into the prison's check in area.

"There's simply not enough of us Tasuba-san," Mitsuru answered as she gave her police ID to a guard. The man swiped it and the two of them were immediately allowed to enter the staff area of the prison.

"But a murderer? Isn't that too far. This man was formidable with nothing but a gun and a badge. Now you want to give those things back to him and an evoker on top of that?" When Yukari had initially heard the plan of releasing a persona user in prison she had assumed that his crime must have been minor for Mitsuru to consider the plan. It wasn't until doing more research that Yukari realized that they were releasing a man accused of two cases of murder, two cases of criminal influence and 6 more cases of attempted criminal acts.

"I' m more than sure that our new partner is done playing his games." Mitsuru said confidently as she opened up the door to an interrogation room.

"How can you possibly know what's going on in the mind of a psychopath?" Yukari stopped when she saw Fuuka sitting alone in the room.

"I believe I am you're answer to that Senpai." Fuuka said getting up and bowing to Yukari. "Long time no see."

"No kidding, it's great seeing a girl from the old days. The only one I ever hear from is Junpei. Trust me he hasn't changed a bit. I can't wait to see him too though."

"I know, he's still a perv, but he cares. I keep an eye on all of you."

"Huh?" Yukari asked thinking that the statement had been a bit creepy.

"Oh no I don't mean that I have spies running around. I'm just a Psychologist. I just mean that, well you know." As the years passed, most of the old SEES members had grown sloppy when it came to using their personas. Mitsuru was pretty much the only one with a lot of fighting experience. Junpei and Yukari had only just recently joined her latest scheme. Fuuka though would never run out of practice. Unlike the others who needed an evoker to use their powers, Fuuka had the gift of being physic regardless. She could sense the thoughts of those close to her, feel the presence of danger approaching and even communicate with beings from great distances. She was no doubt embarrassed to admit that she used her abilities to check up on her friends every once in a while.

"Ms. Yamagishi has been talking to our new friend for some time now. Isn't that right Fuuka?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes," Fuuka said recovering her composer. She was a lot calmer and seemingly confident than she was in high school. "To say he feels guilty is the least of things."

"You mean the monster? Apparently he was a great actor. No one suspected him of being a killer when he was caught. What if he's just tricking you?"

"One I think I would be able to tell and two, he has no way of knowing what I am to my knowledge. He wouldn't know to hide his thoughts and even if he did he would have had to be doing it like a trained professional. I've never heard of someone trained for sensory type interrogation."

Mitsuru coughed to change the subject. "Shall we bring him in? I'm curious to see what he thinks about my offer."

"Wait, we haven't even asked yet?" Yukari said puzzled.

"Asking him to join a group of persona users would be counterproductive. We weren't sure if he would trust us or that we could trust anything that he said. Now that we know everything he'll tell us, it's a good time to ask."

"Mitsuru is right. I never even let on if I believed in personas and shadows when we talked." Fuuka added. "I was only interested in how he was dealing with life after being caught."

"And?" Yukari demanded.

"He hates himself."

"He better after getting caught."

"It's not because he was caught. He hates the fact that he had fun. He hates that he'll remember what it was like to play his game. He's like another new member of our team." Fukka said earning a confused look from Mitsuru and Yukari alike. She realized that the person she was talking about had only thought those thoughts, she hadn't willing said them to Fuuka. She quickly shut her mouth. The others blew it off.

"Let's get past the introductions," Mitsuru said walking over to a phone on the wall by the entrance and turning toward the mirrored window next to them. "Akihiko, is he ready?"

On the other side of the window, Akihiko continued to adjust his tie. Mitsuru had helped him tie it before driving to pick up Yukari at the train station but he had accidentally tightened it too much. He wasn't used to formal clothing anymore after traveling in the Americas.

"One moment," he answered as he struggles to breath.

"Uhm, are you ready?" Mitsuru asked earning a giggle from Fuuka and a smile from Yukari.

"Yeah I got it. I'll head over right now." Akihiko gave up and untied the tie and unbuttoned his top button before hanging up the phone. "Remember you two. If anything goes wrong you call in security."

Also in the room were fellow Ops members Junpei Iori and Kurisu Makise.

"Sure things boss," Junpei said putting his hat on top of his face and dozing off. The man had been up all night, too excited to see Yukari again. She had no idea that he had dragged along and probably wouldn't know till after they all left.

"Are you really sleeping right now?" Kurisu asked. She had long red hair and bangs that met at a single point, just between her blue eyes. The girl was the same age as all the other ops members but like one would imagine from an already impressive group of individuals, her youth didn't matter. At the age of 18 she had already finished college and had published multiple articles on neurology. Though, neither of those feats where the reason why Mitsuru had enlisted her. "You know if you sleep sitting up you can choke on your own snot?"

"Whah!" Junpei freaked out and forced himself to stay awake. Kurisu was smart but she wasn't without a sense of humor. "Not cool Christina! You freaked the shit out of me!"

"Hey! I told you I hate that name!" Christina was a name given to Kurisu by a very close friend that both she and Junpei knew. Her first name was derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the name Chris. Upon noticing the names Origin she was quickly assigned the name by her friend and later Junpei would adopt it.

"Come now, can both of you act mature for a just one moment." Akihiko sighed.

"Me immature?" Kurisu questioned. "Are you seriously putting me in the same category as Junpei here?"

"Says the girl with an channel account name, 'KuriGohan & Kamehameha'." Akihiko said sarcastically.

"No fair, I made that name when I was sixteen." She argued.

"But you never changed it," Kurisu simply sat down and kept quiet as Junpei pulled out his phone to send a friends request. Akihiko made his way out of the room to escort their new friend.

Junpei was about to fall asleep again when a very loud knock on the mirrored, one way window, woke him up again. Though she couldn't see him, Yukari stood with her arms crossed looking at the mirror holding the room's phone. She knocked until Junpei finally answered.

"Hello?" Junpei said.

"You're hear and you didn't say hello?!"

"Sheesh Yuka-tan, I wanted to surprise you is all." He said looking guilty, though Yukari couldn't actually see him through the one way window.

"Sure, I really wanted to be surprised by your ugly mug. How's little league Babe Ruth?" Yukari joked. Junpei had been helping Mitsuru on and off since she recruited him. Danger aside it was easy money. On his free time he fulfilled his childhood dream of being a baseball player by coaching little league. He usually was seen outside of work wearing an adult version of his team's uniform. It took everything he had to put on a suit and tie. Nothing could make him take off the hat though.

"Hey, don't make fun of my hobby Pink August! At least I don't run around on TV dressed like a power ranger saying cheesy lines with my cleavage hanging out."

"Don't pretend that you don't watch my show you Perv and it's Pink Argus!" Yukari had been working as a model to help pay for college when a recruiter helped get her a role in the ever popular "Phoenix Ranger Featherman Victory" show. Adults tended not to recognize her but she couldn't possibly go anywhere with kids without being asked for autographs.

"Well if it isn't two long lost Tsunderes confessing their love." Kurisu joked as she read a book.

"WE ARE NOT TSUNDERES!" the two of them yelled. Before Akihiko opened the prisoner's side of the interrogation room.

"Ok everyone. Here he is. Don't scare him off with your over animated personalities," He said looking at Yukari who was on the phone knowing Junpei was on the other side. "Adachi-san, feel free to take a seat."

"Thanks officer." The man said walking in behind him.

"I'm not an officer, yet, just call me Sanada."

"Ok then," Tohru Adachi said hesitantly as he made his way over to the table. He wasn't expecting to see so many people.

"I apologize for not telling you about our guests for today Tohru. They're actually all really close friends of mine." Fuuka tried to assure him. Adachi just sat silently.

"Adachi-san I would like to introduce myself. I'm…"

"Mitsuru Kirijo. Proud owner of the Kirijo group. Please don't lecture me, I watch the news lady." He said annoyed.

"Tohru," Fuuka scolded.

"Sorry Yamagishi but what does your 'friend want'. I hear your part of some special Public Safety gig now. It was on the news a while back. Now the company is run by investors to you can hunt down criminals or some shit right. What you want advice from an expert?"

"Wow, real charmer you got here Fuuka." Yukari joked.

"Yukari-chan we haven't even asked him yet." Fuuka said defending the man.

"Yukari? Like Tasuba?" Adachi tried to clarify with a laugh. "What is this? Am I on TV. First the heiress of the most successful company in japan and then the pink Feathermen."

"Adachi, we came to give you an offer," Mitsuru interrupted.

"Offer. What kind of offer can you give a man like me? I'm in jail honey. Give me anything special and the other inmates will probably just beat the shit out of me."

"No they won't. I would imagine you have it really good here," Mitsuru said with a smile. The warren tells me you're quite the foolish one. Going around making friends. A lot of prisoners have even improved their behaivior because of you."

"It's hardly foolish making friends in prison. I'm not exactly the strongest. Its best to have friends if I don't want to get hurt in here."

"I didn't mean foolish as an insult. I was referring to what you are."

"Excuse me? Try to make sense money bags. I'm not a foo…" Adachi's expression changed to one of realization. Though he didn't know if he should be afraid or not. "I figured other people knew."

"About?"

"Enough with the interrogation tactics. You say what you know." Adachi demanded.

"I know you're a persona user. I know and believe that your main murder weapon was a TV that acted like a portal to another world. That weapon only bested by your need as a fool to form connections. Links that made people trust you until you betrayed every single one of them. That and I know you're guilty."

"How the hell to you know that I feel guilty." He said hesitantly. "I said it in my confession. It was all a game to me. I liked it."

"You hate yourself for liking it. You wish you could prove that you've changed but don't think anyone can forgive you."

"Like I said. How do you know about that?" He demanded.

Mitsuru turned toward Fuuka and nodded her head. The girl looked guilty for having to do this but she knew it was the best way to break it to him.

"_Because I've been listening."_ Adachi heard in the back of his mind as his eyes opened up. He remembered this feeling. This was the same feeling he felt in his head when he was fighting those kids in Inaba. The same feeling that had tried to mess with his head. This girl was just like Rise Kujikawa. A persona user.

"Who are you people?!"

"We're the Shadow Ops. You're right. We did come here to ask for your help." Mitsuru answered handing him a contract. He looked at the terms and they were surprisingly simple. "But not to hunt criminals. We have bigger problems."

He looked at the form and Fuuka and debated if it was worth the risk. He finally had what he wanted but was it worth the danger. Was it worth breaking his promise if he couldn't help himself? Suddenly his demeanor became very formal. You could no longer feel anger in his voce.

"I'll do it in two conditions."

"What are they?"

"I must be watched at all times by one of your strongest."

"Check, what else?" Mitsuru asked.

"I want a professionally made cabbage centered dinner and a black suit with a red tie to wear at said dinner." He said with a smile.

Mitsuru shook on it and he signed without another thought.

**May 8****th**** 2012 (Tuesday 9:00pm)- Tokyo City, Akihabara**

"I don't see why we have to tag along to this event. I hate fancy restaurants. I never know what anything on the menu is," Junpei complained outside an extremely expensive European restaurant in the middle of the Anime Capital of Japan, Akihabara, wearing a tailored suit. Next to him stood Akihiko and Ken Amada, now 13 years old and a little taller, who were also dressed in appropriate attire.

"How do you not know things on the menu? I thought you liked foreign food." Ken remarked looking up to the taller man.

"I like American food kid. This European stuff doesn't know if it's food or a battle against Napoleon." Junpei complained.

"Seriously Junpei. If it's a problem just order a steak." Akihiko suggested looking at his clock and wondering where the girls were.

"They serve simple stuff like that? I thought it was all Chicken Marengo and crap like that."

"Don't worry Junpei. If it's at all western, they probably sell steak. Trust me."

"Hmm, what are you gonna eat Ken," Junpei asked.

"I don't know. Spaghetti is good right. Isn't it kinda like Raman?"

"Wait they have Spaghetti too!" Junpei said in surprise.

"Of course they do." Ken said ", what kind of restaurants are you eating at Junpei? You don't seem like you know a lot about menus."

Junpei was reluctant to say that he stuck to fast food most of the time. It was too embarrassing that a thirteen year old boy new more about the dinner menu than he did.

"Oh look who decided to show up," Junpei said as Mitsuru's signature limo pulled up in front of the Restaurant. "Took you girls long enough. What was going on…"

Akihiko stopped mid-sentence as he helped Mitsuru out of the car. She was wearing a long black dress with a slit down the side and a bear back.

"Wow Mits-chan, you really know how to stop the presses. Don't you agree Kenny?" Ken didn't even hear Junpei because he was too busy staring as the others exited behind Mitsuru. Kurisu was next, wearing a dark dress as well but without a slit. She was more reserved but still had a bear back and shoulders along with a flower in her hair. Next was Fuuka who wore a white dress with a light blue sweater around her back. Last was Yukari hair up, except for two elongated bangs on either side, in a pink strapless outfit topped with elbow length gloves. The three boys just stared as if they were in a dream. Even Akihiko was worried his nose would bleed.

"Awe Ken you look adorable," Fuuka completed causing the boy to blush.

"You think so?" He quickly hid his awkward gaze and tried the best he could to act normal. That was way more than the others could do.

"I second that. You're the only one here who isn't acting like a sex devoid zombie." Kurisu said bluntly earning a laugh from Yukari.

"Right, Junpei come on. You're perv level is over 9000."

"Hey not fair. It's not like we ever get to see you guys dressed so nice," Junpei argued.

"Right, we're just so amazed by how much you've all changed since we last met. You all look great." Akihiko said trying to soften the situation.

"Awe that's so sweet," remarked Fuuka. "Akihiko, I see you're still quite the gentleman. You all look quite sharp yourselves. Junpei, did you shave you're goatee?"

"Y-yeah. Just trying to fit in with the rest of the group." He nervously answered, scratching behind his head like he always did when he felt nervous.

"I don't know if that's totally true. Ken are you growing a mustache?" Mitsuru remarked.

"Uh what?" he felt under his nose and while there was a bit of a stubble forming he wouldn't say that it was enough to be a full mustache.

"Looks like our little trooper is growing up," Yukari joked, putting her arm around his and walking towards the restaurant. "Come on you'll be my escort. No way will I pair up with that Perv Junpei."

"Hey what the hell?" He shouted.

"I'll double that," Kurisu joked running and grabbing Ken's other arm.

"Ken bring those two back here this instant!" Junpei yelled out.

"Sorry what was that I couldn't hear you," He said with a smile as he walked away."

"Uhg, that kid doesn't know how to treat his elders anymore."

"They're all joking with you Iori-san. Between you and me, Yukari is really happy to see you again." Mitsuru said.

"I know, I just wish she would stop with the perv jokes. I don't even think about her that way. We've been friends since we were kids."

"She knows man," Akihiko added. "She just knows it's so easy to mess with you."

"Yeah yeah, so I take it you two are together?"

"Yeah actually," Mitsuru stuttered. "We were gonna tell you all later."

"…" Junpei stood frozen to the ground as if reality were playing a trick on him. "W-what?"

"We've been going out a few days now. That's what you meant right?"

"Mitsu, I think he just meant to ask if we were pairing up for dinner," Akihiko explained a little embarrassed.

"Oh…" Mitsuru thought about what the next best thing to say would be. "Well, to dinner then."

"You're going out?!"

"Y-yeah, is that ok?" Mitsuru questioned.

"Well of course its ok, it's about time. I'm sick of watching you two flirt around with one another. It's always Mitsu this and Akihiko that."

"Well I'm glad you took it well." Akihiko said.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because we always had those little single guy competitions. Now you're on your own."

"I still got Ken."

"Not tonight you don't." He commented with a grin as the girls and Ken laughed into the restaurant.

"Urg,"Junpei groaned.

"Don't worry Junpei," Mitsuru assured him. "That's why we have new friends. Adachi-san? Come now, Yamagish-san and I didn't spend an hour picking your new suit for nothing."

"Uhg, yes Mam." Adachi sighed as he exited the limo. He Shrugged being around so many people. The street was full of other people arriving to eat and various Moe culture that surrounded Akihabara. A group of young girls starred at him from down the sidewalk. "Why did we have to meet in the middle of the busiest place in Japan. I mean seriously are there enough annoying kids around here."

"Oh come on Adachi-san," Fuuka pleaded with a sigh. "The towns not gonna hurt you."

She tried to cheer him up but she could sense what he was thinking. '_I'm not afraid of the town. I'm afraid of myself hurting it.'_

"Adachi, you and you're new partner are gonna have work around lots of people. You think you can do that?" Mitsuru inquired.

"Yeah work is just fine. I just don't know why these dumb girls have to stare the way they do," He answered giving them a dark look, causing them to walk away, cursing them under his breath. '_Best to keep away from a guy like me anyway.'_

"I used to have a friend who was afraid of the world like you," Akihiko explained, putting his arm on Adachi's shoulder.

"Was he a murderer too?"

"No but he was an ass like you. In the end he folded and gave people a chance I think you can do that."

"Sure," he said with doubt. "Kirijo-san. You said I'd have a partner. Who is it going to be?"

Adachi looked at the group of kids surrounding him and didn't think any of them were up to the job. Fuuka was kind but weak in a one on one fight and Kurisu was out of the running since she wasn't even a persona user. Yukari hated him and would never agree to work with him while Junpei had the intelligence of a nat. Adachi could easily come up with ways to trick him or get away. He didn't even want to consider working with a middle schooler. That left the love birds. Kirijo would be too busy to run around on missions with him so that would most likely mean that Akihiko would be his chaperone.

"You're partner has actually yet to have arrived." She answered to his surprise. The fact that there more of them came as a shock. How many persona users could there possibly be. "They'll be here in a few minutes."

"Until then let's get to our seats boys." Fuuka said grabbing both Junpei and Adachi by their sleeves.

"Hey watch it lady. I just got this suit!"

"Yeah Fuuka-chan. You think Mitsuru pays enough to but two of these!"

Mitsuru and Akihiko followed behind everyone talking to themselves.

"You think she'll be ok working with him?" Akihiko asked feeling worried for their remaining dinner guest.

"Don't worry about her. I'm more afraid Adachi-san will get himself torn apart if he's not careful."

**Hello everyone. I hope you liked what you read so far and please tell me what you think about this story and come back for more. Once again this story acts as a supplement to my existing fanfiction Persona 4: Shadow Incident. The stories intertwine with one another. It has been made apparent to me that people like the shadow ops interactions from that fic though there is little to no screen time for them. If Shadow Incident (SI) is ever giving you too much of an Investigation team overload then come here for a dose of SEES.**

**While the next batch of Persona games has not yet come out in America I am trying my best to cater to them. Anyone who reads SI knows that there is something of a time paradox going on in this plot which will explain why things are all messed up latter on when this fic doesn't match with the new games. **


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